Phillipus von Hohenheim

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Phillipus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim[1] (1493—1541), more commonly known as Paracelsus, was a secretive alchemist about whom very little is known. He also contributed to the field of medicine, having been a notable physician.[2] Paracelsus's bold theories challenged medieval thought. Paracelsus was credited with the discovery of Parseltongue.[3]

There was a bust of Paracelsus in a corridor at Hogwarts. In 1995, while on his way to the Owlery, Harry Potter ran into Nearly Headless Nick, who warned him that Peeves was planning to drop the bust on the head of the next person who walked down the corridor. Harry thus chose to take an alternate route to the Owlery.[5]

Behind the scenes

The actual Paracelsus was a man born in 1493 in Switzerland. He was born Phillip Von Hohenheim, but changed his name to Philippus Theophrastus Aureolus Bombastus von Hohenheim, then to Paracelsus. He has made many contributions to medicine. He believed every human needed a balance of minerals and metals in their body and he was the first to use minerals and metals as medicine. Paracelsus also studied psychotherapy, and was the first to understand the subconscious.